New study maps sea turtle danger zones

Hawkbill turtles (pictured) have seen worldwide populations decline due to demand for their shells, according to the report's authors

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Leatherback turtles have been the subject of concerted conservation efforts, but in the East Pacfific alone populations have declined 90%

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Loggerhead turtles nesting near the North Pacific Ocean. According to conservationists this species is most threatened by "severe bycatch" (snagged in fisherman targeting other species) in Mexico and Japan

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A loggerhead turtle on the northeast Atlantic Coast. Here, this species has been threatened for decades by consumption of meat and eggs, conservationists say.

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The world's 11 most threatened sea turtle populations

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Green turtles in the south central Pacific Ocean do not face many serious threats, says conservationists, and can still be found in abundance

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Hawksbill turtles nesting is limited to Australia and currently have a healthy population

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Green turtles haven't been monitored for long but are abundant and inhabit fairly isolated areas, nesting along the remote coast of Western Australia, according to conservationists

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The world's 12 healthiest sea turtle populations

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Story highlights

New report reveals northern Indian Ocean as area where most sea turtles under threat

"This assessment system provides a baseline status for all sea turtles from which we can gauge our progress on recovering these threatened populations in the future," Roderic Mast, co-chair of the MTSG and vice-president ofCI said in a statement.

"Through this process, we have learned a lot about what is working and what isn't in sea turtle conservation, so now we look forward to turning the lessons learned into sound conservation strategies for sea turtles and their habitats," Mast added.

Almost half of the world's most threatened sea turtle species can be found in the northern waters of the Indian Ocean and on nesting beaches lying within Exclusive Economic Zones in countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, according to the report.

As well as highlighting danger areas, the report also pinpoints regions which are supporting healthier populations which face relatively low threats.

Species including the hawksbill turtle and the green turtle are thriving in nesting sites and feeding areas in Australia, Mexico and Brazil, along with southwestern Indian Ocean, Micronesia (in Oceania) and French Polynesia.

The report helps set up "priorities for different populations in different regions," says Bryan Wallace, director of science for the marine flagship species program at CI and lead author of the report.

"Sea turtles everywhere are conservation-dependent, but this framework will help us effectively target our conservation efforts around the world," Wallace said in a statement.

The report is published in the online science journal PLoS (Public Library of Science).